Indigenous rights, environmental protection and government waste on the Hill watchlist

People gather with signs during a rally in response to Gerald Stanley's acquittal in the shooting death of Colten Boushie in Edmonton, Alta., on Saturday, February 10, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

When the House opens for business later this afternoon, the first item on the legislative to-do list will be Team Trudeau’s proposal to rejig the federal environmental assessment process, which was unveiled by Environment Minister Catherine McKenna last week, and is now set to begin second-reading debate.

Later this evening, the House will consider Manitoba New Democrat MP Georgina Jolibois’ backbench pitch to make National Indigenous Peoples Day a federal holiday.

By a twist of Commons scheduling, will take place just before a special evening take-note debate on the experience of indigenous people within the Canadian justice system — and a few hours after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to rise in the Chamber to speak on the “recognition and implementation of indigenous rights.”

ON & AROUND THE HILL

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Teddy Awards — a “gilded pig statuette” presented, in absentia, to municipal, provincial and federal recipients across Canada to recognize truly noteworthy examples of government waste — with its traditional “black tie ceremony” in the Centre Block press theatre, with CTF federal director Aaron Wudrick once again serving as host alongside the group’s iconic mascot, Porky the Waste-Hater.

Elsewhere on the Hill media circuit today: the Fédération nationale des communications holds a briefing to update the media — and everyone else — on the “continuing crisis in print media,” which, they will contend, is not just “hurting our newsrooms,” but puts the “democratic health of the country” — as well as “thousands of jobs” — at risk.

Meanwhile, Governor General Julie Payette will take part in the third annual cross-country ski event, which brings together MPs, senators, Olympic and Paralympic athletes and local students to make a circuit on the west side of the parliamentary lawn as part of an an ongoing campaign to “encourage schools across Canada to build ski tracks in their yards.”

OUTSIDE THE PRECINCT

Government House Leader and Small Business Minister Bardish Chagger hits the stage at the National Arts Centre to highlight the release of “Everywhere, Every Day Innovating: Women Entrepreneurs and Innovation,” a new report from the Bank of Montreal that “outlines the implications for business and the Canadian economy resulting from gender differences in approaches to innovation.”

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